Spreading the Gospel of the Resurrection

April 6th Readings Reflection: Saturday in the Octave of Easter

In today’s Gospel, we hear of St. Mary Magdalene telling the other disciples, “who were mourning and weeping,” that Jesus had risen. She was the first to bring these disciples the good news—the Gospel—of Christ’s Resurrection. After appearing to the Eleven Apostles, Jesus commissioned them to “proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”

Christ’s great commission still calls the Church to action. We are called to spread the truth of the Catholic Faith, without which there is no salvation. We have been entrusted with the truth of salvation, and we must safeguard it and ensure that as many souls as possible encounter the truth through us.

“And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more” (Lk 12:48 DRB). We have been entrusted with an immense gift, the gift of our Faith. We must not keep this gift to ourselves, but, like St. Mary Magdalene, should zealously share the Gospel and the truth of our Faith with others.

The world is filled with people who, like the disciples in today’s Gospel, are mourning and weeping, believing all hope to be lost. As Catholics, we know that our Faith does not necessarily remove all suffering, but it gives us hope and strength as we carry our crosses for Christ. Our Faith gives purpose to suffering, just as the hope of the Resurrection gives us courage to suffer Good Friday with Christ.

God often works in people’s lives through other human beings. Today’s Gospel reading gives us the opportunity to discern how God is calling us to be His instruments in the lives of others. May God’s Holy Spirit fill us with an ever deeper love for the Risen Christ, so that we may fulfill His command to spread the Gospel every day of our lives.

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